not sure what to name it
by He'sMyRoyalShortness
Summary: when House's wife slips into a coma after a car accident, will he be able to get over the pain and raise their daughter? R&R for new chapters!
1. Chapter 1

House stood looking out the window of his wife's hospital room. It was raining, she loved the rain. He turned and looked at her face, so tender. She was in a coma. He and their child had survived the crash with only a few scratches, she was here.

They didn't expect her to live much longer. What would he do without her? When Stacey had left, it had been bad enough, but if she died, what would he do? How would he raise their child on his own? He limped over to her bedside, and grazed his hand over her face. The mechanical whirring of the respirator rang unpleasantly in his ears.

"Lisa," he whispered.

Nothing. It wasn't as if he had expected anything though. Tears fell down his face. This is what happens when you get in too deep, he told himself, you get hurt worse than before. Her chest rose and fell periodically.

"Lisa," he whispered again, hoping she would answer, but knowing she wouldn't.

He slid his hand down to hers, and grabbed it. Still nothing. The hum of the respirator was the only sound in the room. He brought her hand up, and kissed it lightly.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Where's daddy?" Wilson heard House's daughter, Lena call. How would he answer this? Lena walked into the room, her mouth twisted into an odd looking shape, and she repeated the question.

"Uncle Wilson, where's daddy?" Wilson laughed. He knew he shouldn't, but it was funny hearing the girl calling him Uncle Wilson. She was 7 years old and looked like her mother, dark black hair, with an olive skin tone. She had her father's piercing blue eyes, and quick wit.

"Uncle Wilson!" she shouted. Wilson snapped out of his thoughts, and tried to work up an answer.

"He's with your mother, Lee," He said. She had a look of confusion on her face, and Wilson added, " at the hospital."

She didn't understand what he was telling her. Wilson caught this, and didn't bother to give details. He hoped she'd be okay, that on a slim chance maybe, just maybe, she'd regain consciousness. He doubted it, but he still hoped. Lisa was the best thing that had happened to his friend, and he didn't want her to leave him like that. When Stacey had left, it had been bad enough. He wished he could do something, but knew he couldn't. So he sat there, and hoped, hoped that beyond everything that she wouldn't leave House and Lena like that.

* * *

The respirator hummed on, pumping precious air into her lungs, and the heart monitor counting her heart beats, telling House that she still held a delicate thread on life. He looked at her through blurred vision. What if she didn't wake up? How would he take care of himself and Lena? Even if Lisa did wake up, she'd have brain damage. He squeezed her hand again.

"Lisa, I love you," he said, though he knew she couldn't hear him, " Lise, if you can hear me, give me some sign that you can, something!" he pleaded, it was useless, nothing was going to happen.

And nothing did. The beeps of the heart monitor were still the same, the respirator still pumping air. And nothing from her, everything was the same. A young doctor of about 26 came in.

"Dr. House?" he said his nametag said he was Dr. Mark Neil. House gave him a nod. Neil motioned to a chair, and told House to sit down.

House was anxious, he didn't feel comfortable with this fresh out of med school doctor treating his wife, he didn't want her life in his hands. He wanted Foreman to work the case; he was definitely more trustworthy than the nine year old that was here now.

" Your wife isn't showing any signs of improvement, we're sorry," House stopped listening to the sentence on the word isn't, the grave look on the man's face told him everything he needed to know. For once in his life he cursed his ability to read people's expressions.

"Dr. House, are you listening?" House came out of what ever thought that had been running through his head to answer him.

"No," he said frankly. Neil gave him an unbelieving look

"This is your wife, House," he said. House glared, and instantly realized that the two of them would have problems, he'd just go to Lisa in the morning… He mentally slapped himself; this was Lisa they were talking about. Dr. Neil looked slightly uncomfortable being in the room. He broke the silence.

" House, answer me," he pressed.

"Leave." He said short and simple. The doctor took obvious offence, and walked out with just as grave a look on his face as there had been when he walked in.

"Sorry, Lise, I'll get you a better doctor, maybe Foreman or Chase." He whispered to her like she could hear him and answer back. He squeezed her hand still hoping, always hoping, she'd squeeze back.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Uncle Wilson!" Lena screamed. She wanted her parents. Wilson was exhausted, and wanted some sleep.

"Uncle Wilson!" she screamed again. Wilson got up before she started yelling uncle James across the house. He walked into her bedroom to see her crying.

"What's the matter, Lee?" he asked her, scooping her into his arms.

"I want mama, and daddy," she said, "where are they?" he looked around the room, trying to think of an answer. What would he tell her? Sorry, honey, but your mother's in a coma and your father is too disconnected to deal with you?

So he settled on, "mommy's sick, Lee."

"What's wrong with mommy?" she asked, desperately looking to him for an answer.

"Lena," he paused, she gave him a look that urged him to go on, "mommy is in a coma."

"What's that?" she questioned, she was confused. How would he explain this? "Uncle Wilson, when can mommy come home?" she pressed. Wilson wrapped his arms around her.

"She probably won't, Lee." He said. Her expression fell.

"Why not, Uncle Wilson, I want mommy!" she cried. He sighed, and rubbed her back.

"Just go to sleep, Lee," he said, "We'll go see mommy later." She settled down, and fell to sleep in his arms.

* * *

House had given up on trying to awaken Lisa, and went down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in a window on the way down. He looked terrible. He tried to erase the image out of his head, and continued walking.

The cafeteria was as crammed as it always was, doctors coming in for a much-needed break, visitors looking for a place to calm down. For once in his life, House was a visitor. He knew now how the families felt. Always searching for an answer to what was wrong. When was their family member going to get better, get out of this place?

He made his way through a crowd of people, and ordered a Reuben. The sandwich had an odd taste to it, he didn't know what it tasted like, but it tasted odd, maybe it was just him.

Lisa had always got aggravated at his table manners. She said that he ate very sloppily. Much to his surprise, he found himself taking her advice, and was actually using a napkin instead of the back of his hand, or his shirtsleeve. He finished off the sandwich, and realized why the sandwich tasted odd, he forgot to have them hold the pickles.

His thoughts drifted off to Lena, their daughter, and he wondered if Wilson had told her yet. He hoped that he had. His phone rang, it was Wilson.

"Yeah," he said.

"You need to talk to Lena, House." Wilson's reply was short and to the point. House sighed, he knew this had been coming. He heard Lena crying in the background. Wilson squeezed her in his arms, and handed her the phone.

"Hello?" she said in a weak voice.

"Hey, Lee." House said, trying to cheer her up.

"Daddy, where's mommy?" she asked, much to his dismay.

"Mommy's sick," he said

"Uncle Wilson said she was in a comma," House stifled a laugh when he heard her say 'comma' instead of 'coma'. "when can mommy come home?"

It was an innocent question, one that every family member asks a doctor, yet it seemed so hard to answer now. Maybe it was because he never figured it'd apply to him, or anyone he knew. Especially Lisa.

" She probably won't, Lee." He heard her start crying, and Wilson soothing her. He should be the one doing this, he realized, not Wilson, she was HIS daughter. He ended the conversation with Wilson, agreeing to bring Lena to see her mother the next day.

* * *

Wilson brought the child closer to him, holding her while she cried.

"Shh." He whispered into her ear. She was slowly calming down.

" Why can't mommy come home?" she asked. Wilson realized this conversation was going in circles.

"I've already told you, Lee, she's sick." She gave a grunt of resignation, and fell to sleep again on his chest. He looked down on her, and saw how fragile she looked, what would become of her if something happened to Lisa? She needed her mother. He pulled her closer yet again, and rubbed her back. What would happen to House and Lena?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chase, Cameron, and Foreman stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, and watched their boss. They had solemn looks on their faces; he was just sitting there, sad and alone. The House they used to know, and didn't want to know again. Cameron broke the silence.

"Should we go and talk to him?" she asked. Foreman rolled his eyes.

"No, we should leave him alone, give him time to think." He said. Chase looked over.

"Maybe we should, maybe he needs to talk to someone for once in his life."

"And what life are you living in, Chase?" Foreman asked, "He'll just push us away, it's useless."

"Maybe not," Cameron said, " He has changed a lot since he married Lisa."

"He has changed, Cameron," Foreman replied, "But not that much."

Cameron sighed, and Chase put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm going to go talk to him," she said. Chase grabbed her to keep her from leaving.

"We should listen to Foreman on this one, Cameron," he said, abandoning his earlier statement, " Just let him think."

" I don't care what you guys do," she said, and started to walk off again, " But I'm going over there."

"Don't, Cameron," Foreman warned, " He needs time to be alone, if he wanted us, he'd call us."

"We all know House is too proud to admit he needs someone." Cameron stated, it was true, and they all knew it. Wilson and Lena walked up behind them.

"So," Wilson asked, "How is he?" Cameron jumped.

"Alone." She answered.

Lena caught a glimpse of House, and started towards him.

"Daddy!" she squealed. House turned his head around, and gave a visible sigh. He got up from the table, and walked over to the crowd.

"Hey, Lee," he said as he approached. He glared at Wilson as he bent over to her.

"Can I see mommy, daddy?" she asked, "Uncle Wilson said I could." House shot him a more scathing look.

"She wouldn't go to sleep, House," Wilson explained, "So I brought her here."

"You could have called first." Lena looked up at him expectantly. " Mommy can't have visitors now, Lee, you can see her tomorrow."

"House," Wilson said, " Take her to see her mother."

"She needs rest, Wilson, I'm about to go home." Cameron looked up.

"I'll take her, House." She said, and picked up Lena.

"No, Cameron, you won't." he snapped, "Just give her here, and I'm going to take her home."

"But Daddy!" Lena cried.

"No buts, Lena, lets go."

Wilson stopped him. "House, you're going to have to take her sometime, why not now?"

"Because I'm not ready to!" he yelled, "You happy now, now you know what a baby I can be." He looked at Cameron, "Cameron, you glad to know that I actually have a soft side? That I'm even more damaged than you think?"

"House," Wilson tried to reason. Cameron joined in.

" House, I'm not glad that this was the way I figured it out. But it is nice to know that you can be a human being at times."

"Cameron," Wilson said, " Let it go, House, I'll take her to see Lisa, you go home."

"NO!" he shouted, " Lena is MY daughter, I will take her in the morning, like I said I would, now," he looked at everyone, and settled on Lena, " Let's go home, you'll see your mother tomorrow morning."

"But daddy!" she tried again, "Uncle Wilson said I could."

"Lena, is uncle Wilson your father?"

"No." she replied, defeated.

"House," Cameron tried, " Let us take her, you go home and get some rest, we can handle her."

"She will go tomorrow, no more questions!" he stated. It hung in the air. Foreman and Chase stood back with self-satisfied smirks on their faces. House took Lena and left.

" I told you not to bother him, Cameron." Foreman said.

"Do you really have to rub it in?" she asked

"You two stop it," Wilson admonished.

They stood there for a while, silent, as if they were still watching House stare into space.

"We could have done something." Cameron said, and left.

"Nothing would have helped!" Foreman yelled at her back.

"I'm leaving," Chase said.

So they left, leaving Wilson and Foreman alone in the doorway of the cafeteria.

"Maybe we should leave too," Wilson suggested, "It's been a long day for everybody, we should go home and rest a while, see you in the morning."

"Yeah," Foreman agreed, "see you in the morning."

And Foreman was alone. He stood in the doorway for a while longer, and decided to leave, as well. A day had never seemed as long as this one to him. He hoped the best for House and Lena.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The ride home seemed to last forever. House was staring off into space, barely paying attention to the road, but the ounce he did pay attention to was for Lena, nothing could happen to her. She was Lisa's child. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. She slumbered in the back seat, and Wilson was in the car behind them. Funny, that he had waited on him in the parking lot, he never waited on anyone. Maybe he actually needed someone, No, he never needed anyone. Maybe this was the one exception though.

_There's never an exception,_ he scolded himself,_ and the only person in this world that you can ever trust not to hurt you is yourself._ _The only person I need is Lisa, and she's not here._ He drove on, looking for his driveway, not seeming to find it. The rain battered on, pounding on the windshield, never relenting, only getting stronger.

The driveway finally came in to sight; he pulled in, Wilson right behind him, Lena still sleeping. He dreaded taking her to see Lisa tomorrow, he didn't want Lena to have to see her like that, didn't want her to remember her mother with tubes in her throat, barely alive. But he couldn't not take her. He switched the car off, and sat. Wilson came up to the back door, and grabbed Lena.

"House," he tried, "Come inside, talk for a while."

"No, I don't want to, I'll be in later." Wilson sighed, and ran Lena inside. House continued sitting, listening to the rain pound the car. He had sold his motorcycle just before Lena had been born to get a car; he had surprised Lisa with this. He rested his head on the headrest, and closed his eyes.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the car windows, and Wilson's face was pressed against the door. House rubbed his eyes, and groaned. He'd slept in the car. Wilson knocked on the window.

"House, wake up, and come in!" House grunted again, and sat up straight.

"I slept out here?" he asked, he didn't remember falling asleep.

"Yeah, Lena's looking for you, came in and get ready, you've got to take her to see Lisa."

"I know, I know." House said, and opened the door. Wilson stepped back, and House got out of the car. He made his way to the door, and walked in.

"House, you okay?" Wilson asked.

" As okay as I will be." He replied. He didn't feel like sarcasm for some reason. It usually got him through the day, but today it seemed childish to him, unnecessary. Lena ran to the door as soon as she saw House walk through them.

"Daddy, we got to go!" she said, "We got to go see mommy."

House looked down at her, he wasn't looking forward to this.

"Let me get ready first." He said, and went to the bathroom to shower.

Lena looked at Wilson. "Uncle Wilson?" she asked, "What's the matter with daddy?"

"He is sad, Lee."

"Oh." She said, and asked nothing further. House came out of the bathroom, looking neat and clean, he had even shaved.

"Wow," Wilson said, shocked. "You shaved."

"Felt like being clean." House remarked. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

Lena was fidgety through the ride. She wanted to see her mother, and what was this they were telling her about her mother being in a comma? She remembered Foreman telling her that a comma wasn't a good thing. She twisted in her seat. Wilson turned around and told her to be still. She couldn't be still.

"Uncle Wilson, when will we be there?" she asked. She was getting anxious, she wanted her mother, and she wanted her now. Why hadn't she come home yet?

"Soon, Lee." He replied. She slumped against the back of the seat, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't pout, Lena," House told her, "We're going as fast as we can."

_Well, it isn't fast enough,_ She thought.

Soon, the hospital came into view, and Lena sat up straight. The ride seemed like forever, and she jumped out of the car when they parked.

"Where's mommy at?" she demanded. She'd been expecting her to be waiting on them out here.

House sighed at her. "Mommy won't be able to talk back to you, Lee."

"Why not?"

"She's in a coma, Lee, she won't be able to talk to you, but she might be able to hear you, so you can talk to her." House explained, he knew that she probably couldn't hear them either, but he didn't tell her that. They walked forward to the entrance of the hospital to Lisa's room.

* * *

Foreman saw Wilson and House pull up with Lena; she was playing twenty questions with them. Cameron and Chase walked up beside him, and were watching as well.

"How do you think Lena will handle it?" Cameron asked.

"Not sure," Chase said, "But it's sure to be better than how House took it."

Foreman nodded in agreement, "Probably, she doesn't understand what's going on though, it'll make it a little easier for her."

They sighed a group sigh, with the same thought on their mind, what was going to become of House and Lena? They didn't want to think about it, but it was a question whose answer was going to surface soon, and its outcome could be good or bad, they were all hoping for good.

* * *

House was nervous as they approached Lisa's room. He didn't want Lena to see her like this. But she had a right to see her mother.

"In here, Lee." He motioned to the door. Lena walked in and looked around.

"Where's momma, dad?" she asked. She didn't realize that the woman in the bed was her mother.

"That's momma, Lee." House said. Her expression fell. That woman in the bed couldn't be her mother. She had tubes coming out of her throat. She shook her head.

" That's not momma." She said, believing every word of her statement. That couldn't be her mom.

"Yes, it is, Lee." House said. " Go over and say hi."

House stepped over to the bed, and sat next to Lisa.

"Lisa," he said, " Lena is here to see you."

He looked over at Lena, "Come here, Lee."

She came over, slowly. "Hold her hand, just say hi."

Lena sat down in his lap and took hold of her mother's hand.

" Hi, momma."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Wilson stood outside of Lisa's room, waiting for House and Lena to come out. Lena had been disbelieving at first, now her conversation was getting spirited. House was leaning back in the chair, grimacing in pain as Lena bounced up and down on his leg. Wilson felt a smile make its way across his face. They were truly the picture of a perfect family. The one thing that was missing was Lisa; they could only hope that she would come out of the coma soon. He brought his head up when he heard the door to Lisa's room open, and House and Lena stepped out of it. Lena looked a bit disappointed.

House looked stressed, and tired. He slumped his shoulders, and sighed.

"Everything go okay?" Wilson asked.

"Okay enough," House answered, "Could've been better."

He looked down at Lena, who had attached herself to his pant leg. She was tired as well, had probably only slept for a few hours the night before.

"Wilson," House asked, Wilson turned towards him, "Take Lena to my office so she can sleep, I'm going to go get lunch."

Wilson nodded, and bent over, picked up Lena, and left to House's office. House made his way down the hall to the lunchroom. He walked slowly; he wasn't in a hurry to get anywhere. He stopped for a moment, thought about everything, and found himself actually needing someone. That couldn't be though, he was Dr. House, infamous for not needing anyone, he certainly didn't need anyone now. But, in truth, he did. He kept walking, and finally got into the cafeteria.

The same crowd that had been there the day before was there again today. The atmosphere was depressing, people were crying, others just eating solemnly, looking off into space. He got in line, and continued watching the people. His team walked into the room, looking beat, as if they had just solved a case that was particularly difficult. They spotted him, and made their way over.

"We saw Wilson and Lena in your office," Chase said, " How'd everything go?"

" Good," he replied. Now if they would just leave him alone, and if Cameron would stay out of his life.

He ordered a Reuben for himself, and chicken fingers for Lena, and made his way through the line.

"How's Lena?" Cameron asked.

"Good as can be expected." He told her, and grabbed a container of honey mustard for Lena's chicken. He felt his pager go off in his pocket. He grabbed it, dropped the tray, and waked as fast as he could out of the cafeteria. The team shrugged and followed him out of the room, wondering what was wrong.

* * *

House barreled into Lisa's room. Neil and a code team were standing around her, trying to bring life back into her. House stopped in his tracks. She was going to leave him. He steadied himself on the door, and felt a hand on his back. It was Cameron.

" Let go of me," he told her. She snapped her hand away, and backed off. He made his way to Lisa's bedside, not being able to make it because of the people around it.

The people surrounding her were frantically trying to bring her back. House's vision was becoming smaller; all he heard was doctors taking turns shouting clear. She was slipping away from him. This couldn't happen, not to Lisa. Once again, he felt a hand on his back. He tried to shake it off.

"House?" Foreman called.

House swayed back and forth, and everything went dark.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

He was dizzy. All he could see was a narrow tunnel straight ahead of him. Light made his head ache, and voices were calling to him in a frenzy. What had happened? What was the big deal? Why were they all crowding over him?

"House!" Neil, Lisa's doctor, called. He was looking down at House in concern, they had moved him into a room, and he had been out for about an hour.

"Wha?" he groaned, still trying to remember what had happened.

"Are you okay? You passed out." Neil explained. It all came back to him in that instant. Lisa. She had flat lined, what had happened to her? Everything hit him like a lead weight; nothing could have happened to her, she had to be alive.

"Lisa." He said. Neil's face went soft. Wilson and Lena came up behind him. Lena had tears streaming down her face. Wilson's face was red and blotchy, as if he'd been crying as well. He continued to look around, and his team entered the room too. No one had answered him, and he was fearing the worst.

"Lisa." He repeated, only to get blank stares from everyone in the room. His team had hard looks on their faces, with the slight undertone that something had happened that he didn't want to know. But he did want to know, and he wanted to know now.

"LISA." He tried again, this time Neil looked up, and answered his question.

"Lisa is okay, House, for now, but we don't know how long that's going to last." Neil explained. House sighed in relief. Lisa was okay. She hadn't left him. Neil moved forward towards House's bed, and started to check his vitals.

"Is he going to be okay?" Wilson asked, worried. He had never seen House like this, and hadn't wanted too. He could only imagine how bad he would get when Lisa did go. He didn't want to think about that now.

"He'll be fine," Neil said, "He can go home in a few hours." House slumped down in the bed, and fell asleep. It had been a rough morning, no telling what the rest of the day would bring.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I know this chapter is short, I couldn't figure out a way to go with it, so I went in a different route than I had intended in the beginning, so I'll try and get back to where I was…. Till then

* * *

Chapter 8

He had slept through it all. Neil was over his bed again, the solemn look still on his face. House felt a bit uncomfortable with Neil hanging over him like that. Wilson and Lena were at the foot of the bed, Lena looking up at him with some kind of expectation. Neil was unhooking all the monitors from him. House sat up, and finished unhooking them. He wanted to go and sit in his office for a while.

So he did. Wilson and Lena followed him like obedient dogs, and as he was expecting his team was waiting on him in there. For some reason, being around people at the moment was comforting, even if Cameron was giving him that annoying lustful look. He belonged to Lisa. Not Cameron. She was the first to speak

"Are you okay, House?" she asked. He ignored her question, and jumped to what he wanted to know.

"Do we have a case?" he asked, getting surprised looks from his colleagues. "Did I stutter?"

"No…I…it's just.." Cameron babbled.

"You just what?" House pressed.

"YOU want to know if we have a case?"

"Once again, did I stutter?" Wilson came into the conversation.

"Are you sure you want to get back to work this early, House?" House rolled his eyes.

"I need something to get my mind off of things," he said, "So, once again, do we have a case or not?"

"No." Foreman said.

"Find one." House commanded. They sighed, and left the room, leaving House with just Wilson and Lena once again. Lena walked across the room and sat in House's lap. She had her head buried in his chest, and was soon lulled to sleep by his heartbeat. Wilson looked at House.

"You sure you're okay, House?"

"As I will be." House replied. Wilson gave him a look that said they needed to talk.

"You need to talk to someone about this, House." Wilson tried to reason.

"I don't NEED to, Wilson," House said, "You just want me to, because you think I'm too damaged to deal with it." Wilson sighed.

"No, you need to talk to someone, because it's not good to keep all this to yourself." Wilson explained.

"Yeah, and like getting all my thoughts picked at is the best way to let it out, I think I'll pass."

"You could talk to someone House, you know your team is here, and me."

"Yes, that would make Cameron happy wouldn't it, she's always trying to get me to talk about my feelings." Sarcasm dripped from every word. Wilson finally decided that it was pointless; House wasn't going to talk, not until he felt like it, and that might not be for a while. Until something happened.

A few moments later, House's team burst into the door, a file in their hands.

"Got something?" House asked expectantly.

"Yeah," Foreman said, hurriedly. " 15 year old female, presents with sudden fever and anorexia."

House made his way over to the white board, and scrabbled the symptoms on the board. It wasn't a particularly interesting case, but it would get his mind off of things.

"Differential people."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I need reviews to post more chapters! Review please!!!

* * *

Chapter 9

His team was still looking at him, shocked. Wilson stood up, grabbed Lena, and left the room, leaving House and his team alone.

"So," House said, in a false cheery voice, "Are we gonna let this girl die, or are we actually going to do something? Differential, people."

They paused to think, but like every other day, House was not in the mood for waiting. He tapped his cane on the floor, giving Chase, Cameron, and Foreman a truly annoyed look.

"Has anyone taken a history yet?" house asked.

"No." Foreman answered him.

"Well, how are we supposed to diagnose her without her history, Chase, go get it." Chase sighed, and lifted himself slowly out of his chair. "Hurry now."

Chase returned a few minutes later with the patients history written down, and a confused look on his face. "Her mother doesn't want me working her case, House."

"Dammit, Chase," House chastised, "I told you not to hit on the patients in front of their parents!"

"I didn't," Chase tried to defend himself, " Her mother said I looked too young."

" Whatever, what did we find out about.." House looked at the file, " Rachel?"

"She has no family history of cancer." Cameron squinted and turned her head sideways to read Chase's handwriting, "That's all I can make of this."

"No recent illness," Chase recited from memory, "And is pretty healthy, overall, the star of her school's track team, never been in the hospital before."

"Anything else?" House pressed. Cameron tried to read the last thing on the list.

"Not that we can read." Foreman joked.

"Go get a CBC." House told them. They all went like obedient puppies, and House was alone again. He wondered out of his office in search of Wilson, and found him in his office cradling Lena to him.

"You need to talk to your daughter, House." Wilson said as he spotted House walk through the doors. House made his way to the chair in front of Wilson's desk.

"We have a patient." House said, ignoring Wilson.

"House, your daughter needs you."

" I know, Wilson, but I also have a patient, we don't have a differential yet."

"Where is your team?"

"Getting blood." Lena stirred against Wilson's chest. Wilson pulled her in closer.

"House, take your daughter."

"I need a differential for this girl." House was more determined than he had ever been before. Wilson began to wonder if this was because of Lisa. Was he working so hard on this case because he needed to be able to save someone?

"House, wait for the results of the CBC, go from there, there's not much more that you can do."

"Yes there is, Wilson, I just don't know what."

"You can wait on the results," Wilson repeated.

"I'm gonna go see her." This took Wilson back.

"YOU are going to go see a patient?" Wilson asked him.

"Yes, what's wrong with that?"

"Just not something you would normally do, House."

"Yeah, well, these aren't normal times either." House said, and left the room in search of his patient.

He got to her room mere minutes later. Her mother and father were on either side of her bed, each holding one of her hands. House made his grand entrance then.

"Who are you?" her mother asked him. She was a mousy, small woman.

"I'm Dr. House." He replied. Her father, a man of about six three, broad chested and twice the size of her mother looked up.

"What's wrong with my daughter?" He immediately asked. House shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know." Her father went red in the face. Rachel squeezed her father's hand, and spoke.

"Daddy, please, their trying." The man ignored his daughter.

"What do you mean you don't know? She's got a big track meet this weekend, she can't miss it."

"Looks like she's gonna have to." House replied, emitting a look from the girls' father.

"Jeff, please." Her mother begged.

"No, Lynn," He said, and looked back at House, "Leave, and come back when you have an answer."

House shrugged his shoulders again, "Will do, but I'll never figure out anything without knowing anything."

"You're an ass." Jeff remarked.

"So I've been told." House said, and walked out of the room, with a small smile on his face, only to run into someone he never hoped to see again.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I know I'm bringing back old characters, but it made the writers block go away!! Yay! So maybe I'll get back to where I was sooner or later??

* * *

Chapter 10

"Hey, House, how's Lisa?" Stacey asked him. House tried to ignore her, but found it impossible.

"What are you doing back here?" he grumbled.

"I heard about Lisa, and Mark and I came by to see how you were." She explained.

"I don't need you, Stacey." He said, and walked away from her. He had hoped that she wouldn't show up, he didn't need her any more, he had Lisa. He walked in a surprisingly fast pace towards Wilson's office. It had been a little over six years since he had seen Stacey, she didn't know about Lena.

"House," she called after him, and, much to his dismay, followed him down the hall, "We just want to help."

"I don't need your help!" he shouted back at her. He hastily rounded the corner before Wilson's office, and threw open the door, Stacey right behind him.

"House, wait." Stacey called before coming into Wilson's office, and seeing House with a small child. "Who's this?"

"Mine and Lisa's daughter." House replied, smugly. Stacey's jaw dropped.

"You have a.. daughter?!" she remarked, thoroughly shocked.

"Yep."

"Lisa didn't say anything."

"She didn't figure that it was important."

"Not important? House I'm the lawyer for this case, you having a daughter I didn't know about could complicate things!" House looked confused now, Stacey was their case lawyer.

"Dammit, Wilson, when I said find a lawyer, I didn't mean Stacey!" he screamed.

"She was the only person I could think of that could help your case, House."

"You could've looked in the damn phone book!" House said.

"Stacey was easier."

"For who?" House asked, "For me or for you?"

"House," Stacey said, "I'm happy to help, I just need you to help me too."

"Forget it." House said, "Stacey, you're not working Lisa's case, I'll find a lawyer."

"House," it was Wilson this time, "Stop acting like a child, and let her help you!"

"No." House ended the conversation.

Wilson and Stacey rolled their eyes, and let it go, knowing that House would eventually come around.

"Wilson, bring Lena to my office." House handed Lena to Wilson, and they went to House's office, House thoroughly pissed.

They got into his office, to find House's team all sitting around the table, and two things scribbled on the board, "elevated creatine kinase" and "anemia." House was getting interested now.

Foreman was the first to talk. "What if the anorexia isn't a symptom, House? Maybe she was anorexic before this happened."

"Daddy says no, but get some food in her." House said. "What does this tell us?"

Chase and Cameron looked at each other in question.

"Could be a number of things, House." Cameron said.

"Well, narrow down a number to one." House said.

"Could be…" Chase was interrupted by his pager. "It's Rachel."

* * *

Chase and Cameron joined Foreman in Rachel's room a few seconds later. She was clutching her stomach in agony.

"Where does it hurt?" Foreman yelled over her moans.

"Where do you think it hurts." Her dad said annoyed.

"I need specifics, Rachel, can you show me where it hurts?"

"My stomach." She cried. Just about then, she started vomiting over the side of the bed. Foreman rushed over to get a bucket, and handed it to her.

"Get the cleaning staff in here." He said. They started out the door, but Foreman was held back by the girl's father.

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To figure out what's wrong with your daughter." He said, and walked out of the room, and joined Chase and Cameron in the office.

* * *

"So, what now?" house asked, as he impatiently scribbled 'abdominal pain' and 'vomiting' on the board.

"It could still be anything." Cameron said.

"Well, just guess something." House said. "And get an abdominal CT." He couldn't let this girl die. He needed to know if he could save at least one person.

Foreman spoke up, "It could be Leptospirosis, everything fits, the fever, elevated creatine kinase, abdominal pain and vomiting." House considered.

"Good, start her on tetracycline." He said, "But still get that CT, we could be wrong."

House stood there and watched his team; jokingly called the ducklings, walk out of the room to go do what they were told. He looked over to see Wilson and Lena asleep on the couch.

"WILSON!" House yelled, and laughed as he jumped up. Wilson rubbed his eyes, and looked over at House.

"What, House, I was sleeping."

"I know, but I need to talk to you." Wilson sighed, and got up, gently laying Lena back down on the couch.

"What were you thinking hiring Stacey?" House asked.

"She can help you, House."

"I don't want her to, if I had, I'd have called her myself instead of having you do it."

"Just let her help, House, give it up, I'm not going to talk about it anymore." House sighed, and left it at that. He just wondered what he was going to do, this patient was getting worse, Lisa wasn't any better, and now Stacey was back, what was he going to do?


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I know it's been a while since I've done anything, but my internet at home is not working, and I've been in and out of the doctor (fun, fun HA!) so I came up with this over the past couple days, when I haven't been busy with exams or follow ups… well hope you enjoy and review!!!!

* * *

Chapter 11

House clutched his cane in his hand, pulled his forehead down to it, and squeezed it. What was going on? Stacey was back, Stacey couldn't be back. Damn Wilson. Why had he trusted him? Questions were going through his head at high speeds. The case was getting more and more interesting. It wasn't Leptospirosis. She had been on the treatment for almost three days and it wasn't working. They hadn't come up with much, but they took her off the useless 'treatment'. House stared up at the ceiling and his team walked through the door.

"She is dizzy." Foreman started. House sighed and lifted his head from his cane. He walked to the whiteboard and scrabbled 'dizziness' on the board.

"What now?" he asked, the fatigue in his voice apparent. He stared at the board, this case was getting impossible, what was wrong with her? "Is there anything else that might help us?"

"No." Foreman answered him.

"Anyone besides Foreman going to answer, or are you going to make him do all the work?"

"Maybe we're not answering because we don't know." Chase said.

"Well either figure something out, or we're going to have a dead teenager on our hands, and I don't feel like filling out all that paperwork."

The room held a deathly quiet, House's statement hung in the air. This girl would die if they didn't figure something out. In a moment, they were all snapped out of their thoughts when their beepers went off.

"What are you waiting for," House questioned, "GO!" and they went.

They returned with solemn looks on their faces, and Cameron walked over to the board and wrote 'seizures' on the board. House looked at the board, puzzled. The combination of the symptoms weren't making much sense at all. Fever, anorexia, elevated creatine kinase, abdominal pain, and vomiting. And the newest symptoms: dizziness and seizing. They all had an odd yet familiar ring to them.

"Get another CBC." House ordered. Chase and Foreman looked at him.

"Another one?" Chase asked, "Won't it show the same things?"

"Maybe, maybe not," House replied. "Just do it."

The results were surprising. House read over them, and an amused look came over his face as he read them off.

"So, leukocytosis, what might this tell us?"

"Um." Cameron started. House cut her off.

" Has she been out of the country recently? To Japan or Asia in particular?" The team shrugged their shoulders simultaneously.

"We don't know, House." Chase answered.

"Well, before you go and ask that, do an ELISA, and get a head scan." He ordered around.

"Wait," Foreman said, pausing to gather his thoughts, "You don't think she may have.." he left the thought trailing.

"Yep."

"But if that's the case, then she needs to be on meds, now, House."

"Which is why I'm wondering why you are in here in the first place, go, go." He rushed them along. He had the feeling that this test was going to be positive, but he hoped that it wasn't going to be.

Wilson walked into the room.

"House."

"What do you want?" House spat. He did not feel like talking to Wilson right now.

"Stacey left." House let out a sigh of relief. Wilson rolled his eyes. "She was just trying to help, House, and you ran her off again, just like you did last time."

" I wasn't looking for a relationship, Wilson, I have Lisa. I don't want Stacey."

"She wasn't here for a relationship, House, she wanted to help you!"

"Doesn't matter, I'm going to find another lawyer, one that is NOT Stacey, and I'll be fine." His thoughts drifted to Lisa. He wondered how she was doing.

"House, you're impossible."

"Thank you."

Lisa, how was Lisa?

"Have you heard anything about Lisa?" House asked.

"Have you not gone down to see her, House, she needs you."

"Have you? I need to know, Wilson." Wilson shook his head.

"Why don't you go see for yourself, House." And he walked out.

Her hand was still fragile in his. Her face was tender, serene. She didn't look like she was on the verge of death. She couldn't be. Not her. Lisa. He held her hand ever tight. She was going to be okay, he assured himself, she was going to wake up, everything was going to be back to normal. But he couldn't kid himself, if she woke up, how much damage would there be? Would she be the same Lisa that she had been? Would she remember him? Lena? He remembered now why he had promised himself that he would never fall in love. It was painful. It ended badly. She couldn't go now that he had found her. He pleaded with her in his mind. _Don't leave me. Don't leave me. Please don't leave me._ He clasped her hand harder, then let go, and walked out of the room.


	12. Chapter 12

YAY!!! i have the internet at home again!! I don't have to wait for everyother weekend to update! well enjoy, and review!

* * *

Chapter 12

"She's positive." Foreman said, his opening words as he walked into the room. House was asleep with Lena on the couch. "House." He called, as he made his way into the room.

"Wha?" House grumbled.

"She's positive." He repeated. House carefully moved Lena over so he could sit up.

"Well, start her on the treatment." He had been hoping the test would be negative. She wasn't the luckiest kid in the world.

"How weird is it though? How often is there a case of Japanese encephalitis in the US?" Foreman pressed.

"Very weird, now go save the kid's life." House said. Foreman left, leaving House and Lena alone in the office. It was another case solved, but why didn't it bring out the strange sense of accomplishment that solving a case normally does? That feeling that he'd done something right? Was it because Lisa wasn't there to congratulate him? Maybe.

Lena shifted in his lap. He ran his fingers through her hair. She was going to be safe, no matter what happened to Lisa. She hadn't improved much, if at all, in the past few hours. If anything, she was getting worse. Not long now. Lena groaned, and sat up on the couch.

"Daddy?" she asked. House looked down at her.

"What Lee?"

"When is momma coming home?" She asked this question every time she got the chance to. He had to figure a new answer out each time that she asked.

"Lee, I don't know." Honest. He didn't know. It wasn't a new answer, but it wasn't a lie. He couldn't lie to his daughter. He did wish that he had a better answer for her though.

"Why?"

"Because I don't. Let's talk about something else." He stated.

"But."

"Lena." He warned. Lisa was still a touchy subject for him, even if it was Lena asking him.

"Where's Uncle Wilson?"

"In his office, why?" He questioned her. She shrugged.

"Just wondered." She was too smart to be only seven. She knew way too much.

"Lee."

"What?"

"Why do you want Uncle Wilson?" he didn't know why he was getting so defensive.

"I don't I just asked." House let it go. But he wondered. Lena seemed to want Wilson more and more recently. Had he not been there for her enough? Had he not comforted her when she needed him? Was he doing his job as her father? He didn't know. Wilson walked through the door.

"What do you think of the diagnosis, House?" Lena looked up, House ignored him.

"Uncle Wilson!" she yelled, jumped off the couch, and ran over to him.

"Hey, Lee." He answered her, and picked her up. House glared at him. He knew it was childish, but it made him feel better. "House?"

"Yeah?" He didn't feel like talking.

"You gonna answer me?"

"Weird." Wilson looked puzzled.

"Weird?"

"The diagnosis." Wilson felt the tenseness in the room.

"What's wrong with you, House?"

"Nothing." He replied.

"House, clearly, there's something wrong with you." Lena pressed her head into his shoulder. Wilson moved her to his other arm. House glared harder.

"I said that nothing was wrong, why don't we go with that instead of playing twenty questions?"

"House, you're acting like a child." He put Lena down, and walked back out of the office.

"Where did Uncle Wilson go?" Lena asked.

"Away." House answered, tightly. "Come here, Lee." She stood her ground.

"Why did Uncle Wilson go?"

"Because he wanted to, Lee, I don't know." Then again, he didn't know anything anymore. If only he did.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: yeah, this one's a little short, and sry it took so long to get it out. It is a little choppy, and I'll try to fix that, but otherwise, review, and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 13

House had taken Lena to Wilson. She had been shouting for him over the last half hour, and he couldn't handle it anymore. So he was alone again. His team had gone home after the case had been solved. All he had were his thoughts at the moment. He hated being alone like this. Lena should be here with him, not with Wilson. He sighed, and stood up.

They had said the night before that Lisa's chances of waking up were slim to none. He once again thought about what he was going to do. He couldn't raise Lena without her. He didn't have the patience. He shook the thought out of his head, and walked over to the door. Staying in this office wasn't going to help him any. He walked out, not knowing where he was going to go. He roamed the hallways for a while, then stopped in front of Wilson's office. Lena was asleep on his lap. He turned away, but jealousy went through him. Lena was his daughter.

Wilson caught a glimpse of House through his door. He looked pissed, even jealous. It was not like House to get jealous. He peered down at Lena. She was sleeping soundly, like nothing had happened in the past few days. House walked down the hallway, ignoring the two of them in the office. Was House jealous of him? No, he couldn't be. Wilson sighed, and picked Lena up to go into the hallway after House.

"House!" he yelled, and either he didn't hear him, or didn't want to talk. He kept yelling.

"WHAT?!" House yelled back. Lena moved in Wilson's arms. He hoped that she wouldn't wake in time to hear another argument.

"What's wrong with you?" House rolled his eyes, and lowered his gaze to Lena.

"Does it matter?" he asked.

"Yes." Wilson picked up on the eye movement. He wanted his daughter back.

"I don't think it does." House said, his voice low. Lena curled up against Wilson's chest a little more. Jealousy went through House again.

"It does, and House, if you wanted Lena, why did you bring her to me?" House let out a laugh, and it wasn't friendly.

"She was doing nothing but screaming for her uncle Wilson." He replied. Wilson sighed this time.

"House, stop it."

"Stop what?"

"That, you don't need to be jealous. Lena needs you too."

"Too? Shouldn't she need me first?"

"House, you're impossible."

"That I am, but I was right."

"House, I'm taking Lena home with me tonight, you figure things out."

"No, Lena's my daughter, I'm taking her."

"House, you aren't ready to take her yet,"

"Says who?"

"Says me."

Wilson sighed as the argument continued. House was acting like a two year old. Wilson was just thinking of Lena, what she needed, and House couldn't give that right now. He was still confused about everything. He had became more of a pain in the ass over the past few days than he had ever been.

"House, this is childish, let me take Lena, and then we can both get home and sleep."

"No, give me Lena, then we can leave."

"House, for the sake of your daughter, let me have her, and go home, you need to rest." House rolled his eyes again, and stomped away. Wilson began to wonder if taking Lena had been a good idea.


End file.
